Croydon

Croydon's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to 2011. At the same time there were changes in ethnicity, relationships and housing tenure.

The population passed 360,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Croydon increased by 9.9%, from almost 331,000 to 363,000.

The addition of just under 33,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Croydon was home to, on average, 30 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Croydon

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Croydon remained 35 years.

This urban area had a higher average age than London and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 9,500 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 15% of people in Croydon are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Croydon by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Croydon

The number of people in Croydon from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from about 44,000 in 2001 to about 73,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 13% to 20% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across London (from 11% to 13%) and the average across England (from 2.4% to 3.6%).

The number of people in Croydon from the White ethnic groups decreased from about 230,000 in 2001 to about 200,000 in 2011 (from 70% to 55%). The number of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 40,000 to just under 60,000 (from 12% to 16%).

Just under 24,000 people (3.7%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from just over 12,000 in 2001 (6.6%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups in Croydon increased by 6.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Croydon by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Croydon, which comprised a single parent, increased from 12% to 16% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (30%) households had a married couple, compared with 32% in 2001. The percentage of households in Croydon, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.4% to 8.0%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased faster here than the figure for the whole of London (from 11% in 2001 to 13% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 9.5% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Croydon increased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Croydon, London and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Croydon saw London's third-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under one in nine (11%) households in Croydon had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 9.1% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child increased from 32% to 35%.

Across the region, only Harrow (from 12% to 14%) and Hillingdon (from 10% to 12%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Croydon overtook four local authority areas, including Bromley and Waltham Forest, to become the London local authority area with the 10th-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across London

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Croydon residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.9% to 1.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The proportion who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.6%, while

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 1.0% in 2001 to 1.3% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Croydon remained close to 1.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Croydon by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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